Clamp for manipulating robot with enhanced gripping accuracy and manipulating robot comprising at least one such clamp

Abstract

This invention relates to a gripper for a manipulator robot comprising two members articulated at a first end, each member comprising a jaw support ( 8′ ) at a second end, and a jaw ( 10′ ) that will come into contact with an object, the jaw ( 10′ ) being approximately plane, a force sensor ( 26′ ) arranged between at least one jaw support ( 8′ ) and a jaw ( 10′ ) so as to apply a force during displacement of the jaw ( 10′ ), and a deformable parallelogram connection ( 14′ ) connecting the jaw ( 10′ ) to the jaw support ( 8′ ), the sensor ( 26′ ) being oriented such that a sensitive axis of the sensor is orthogonal to the plane of the jaw ( 10′ ).

1. Gripper for a manipulator robot including two members articulated at a first end, each member including:
 a jaw support at a second end and a jaw that will come into contact with an object, said jaws being approximately plane, 
 a force sensor arranged between at least one of said jaw supports and an associated jaw so as to apply a force during displacement of said jaw, the sensor being oriented such that a sensitive axis of the sensor is orthogonal to the plane of said jaw, the force sensor being fixed with respect to the jaw support and separate from said associated jaw, and 
 a deformable parallelogram connection connecting said jaw to said jaw support, such that the displacement of the jaw with respect to the jaw support deforms the parallelogram connection and applies force to the jaw while maintaining said jaws in parallel planes during movement towards or away from each other. 
 
     
     
       2. Gripper according to  claim 1 , in which the parallelogram is a single piece. 
     
     
       3. Gripper according to  claim 2 , in which the jaw support and/or a tray forming base of the jaw are made in a single piece with the parallelogram. 
     
     
       4. Gripper according to  claim 1 , in which the parallelogram comprises parallel connecting rods articulated on the jaw support and the jaw. 
     
     
       5. Gripper according to  claim 4 , in which the parallelogram is a single piece and in which the connecting rods are in the form of blades connected at their ends to the jaw support and to the jaw, the ends of the blades being thinned to enable articulation relative to the jaw support and the jaw. 
     
     
       6. Gripper according to  claim 4 , in which the jaw support and/or a tray forming base of the jaw are made in a single piece with the parallelogram and in which the connecting rods are in the form of blades connected at their ends to the jaw support and to the jaw, the ends of the blades being thinned to enable articulation relative to the jaw support and the jaw. 
     
     
       7. Gripper according to  claim 1 , in which the sensor is preloaded. 
     
     
       8. Gripper according to  claim 7 , in which the sensor is in contact with the parallelogram and the preload is obtained by means of a tight spring between a connecting rod of the parallelogram and the jaw support. 
     
     
       9. Gripper according to  claim 1 , in which the sensor is a monoaxial compression sensor with strain gauges. 
     
     
       10. Gripper according to  claim 1 , in which the sensor is of the capacitive, magnetic or piezoelectric type. 
     
     
       11. Gripper according to  claim 1 , including at least one camera and a detector of the presence of the object between the jaws, for example formed by a light emitting diode fixed in a jaw and a receiving light emitting diode fixed in the other jaw facing the first diode. 
     
     
       12. Gripper according to  claim 1 , in which the two jaws are fitted on parallelogram connections. 
     
     
       13. Gripper for a manipulator robot including two members articulated at a first end, each member including:
 a jaw support at a second end and a jaw that will come into contact with an object, said jaws being approximately plane, 
 a force sensor arranged between at least one of said jaw supports and an associated jaw so as to apply a force during displacement of said jaw, the sensor being oriented such that a sensitive axis of the sensor is orthogonal to the plane of said jaw, wherein the sensor is preloaded and is in direct contact with the jaw and the preload is obtained by means of a pressure screw mounted in the jaw facing the sensor, and 
 a deformable parallelogram connection connecting said jaw to said jaw support. 
 
     
     
       14. Gripper for a manipulator robot including two members articulated at a first end, each member including:
 a jaw support at a second end and a jaw that will come into contact with an object, said jaws being approximately plane, 
 a force sensor arranged between at least one of said jaw supports and an associated jaw so as to apply a force during displacement of said jaw, the sensor being oriented such that a sensitive axis of the sensor is orthogonal to the plane of said jaw, 
 a deformable parallelogram connection connecting said jaw to said jaw support, and 
 a ball inserted between the sensor and the jaw. 
 
     
     
       15. Gripper according to  claim 14 , in which the sensor is in direct contact with the jaw and the preload is obtained by means of a pressure screw mounted in the jaw facing the sensor and in which the ball is mounted in the jaw in contact with the pressure screw. 
     
     
       16. Gripper according to  claim 14 , in which the ball is housed in a foam ring inserted between the ball and the jaw. 
     
     
       17. Manipulator robot comprising at least one gripper including two members articulated at a first end, each member including:
 a jaw support at a second end and a jaw that will come into contact with an object, said jaws being approximately plane, 
 a force sensor arranged between at least one of said jaw supports and an associated jaw so as to apply a force during displacement of said jaw, the sensor being oriented such that a sensitive axis of the sensor is orthogonal to the plane of said jaw, the force sensor being fixed with respect to the jaw support and separate from said associated jaw, and 
 a deformable parallelogram connection connecting said jaw to said jaw support, such that the displacement of the jaw with respect to the jaw support deforms the parallelogram connection and applies force to the jaw while maintaining said jaws in parallel planes during movement towards or away from each other.